At our well-attended July meeting members once again had the pleasure of learning more about the local history of our district. Well known historian, Malcolm Johnson of Kenthurst, took us down the length of Cattai Creek. Malcolm told of the families and locations along the creek between its source at Castle Hill show ground and its junction with the Hawkesbury river at Caddie Park. These are the places and events that set us apart from everyone else and the preservation of the knowledge associated with them is of importance to all.
August will be busy for members. On the 10th of June Roughly Memorial Lecture will be held in the Arcadia Hall, 136 Arcadia Road Arcadia, starting at 2.00. The speaker, Brett Sowerby, will tell the story he uncovered in 53 boxes of papers in the Natural History Museum, London. They concerned his ancestor, James Sowerby, a publisher of natural history, who began by publishing the illustrations of Sir Joseph Banks made during his journey with Capt James Cook. The talk will be of interest to historians of art, publishing, botany and rare books and made all the more pleasurable by Brett’s lively and entertaining presentation. Afternoon tea is provided and entry is free.
On the 20th members will tour The Oaks and Warragamba. There will be a guided visit of the museum then a guided tour of the district. Readers will remember the stories of the escaped cattle that helped save the early colony and of Fisher’s Ghost. See it before the area changes under the development of the second airport.
